their force. The only difficulty is that if Hampton's force is not reduced, he so largely outnumbers Gregg it is hard for the latter to find out anything positive. Still, if you think it worth while I will send him. We generally get the earliest and most precise information from deserters and refugees.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
November 30, 1864 - 2 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Forward the following, just received:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

November 30, 1864.

Major General G. G. MEADE,

Commanding Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: The following deserters have been received thus far to-day: Three from Thirty-third North Carolina, Lane's brigade, Wilcox's division; two from Thirty-seventh North Carolina, Lane's brigade, Wilcox's division; two from Nineteenth Mississippi, Harris' brigade, Mahone's division; two from Eleventh Alabama, Wilcox's old brigade, Mahone's division; one from Sixth Virginia, Weisiger's brigade, Mahone's division; two from Fifteenth North Carolina, Cooke's brigade, Heth's division; total, twelve. No information of any infantry or cavalry having gone to Georgia, except the dismounted cavalry sent off about a week ago; thought to be 1,000 or 1,500 of them; Governor Brown, of Georgia, promised to mount them. One deserter, just received, states that he heard some of Early's cavalry had gone to Georgia; also that Hoke's division had gone. No movement of Hampton's cavalry was reported by the contrabands received yesterday. He was encamped on the Quaker road at last accounts. It seems almost impossible for any considerable force of the enemy's cavalry to have moved south without its being known to some of the contrabands received yesterday; will question closely concerning it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. BABCOCK.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., November 30, 1864.

(Received 3.55 p. m.)

Major-General MEADE:

The information obtained from deserters just sent by the provost-marshal satisfies me that only Hampton in person and his dismounted cavalry have gone to Georgia. There will be no use, therefore, of sending out the cavalry to ascertain what force of the enemy have left. The enemy evidently think, however, that we are about making a grand attack, and if this idea can be kept up by sending the cavalry out it would be well to send them.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

November 30, 1864 - 7 p. m. (Sent 7.40 p. m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

A scout of the enemy, belonging to Butler's cavalry brigade, was captured this a. m. by some of our cavalry, and has just been sent in. It has been positively ascertained from him that General Hampton was